Matthew 5:17-20 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
There are two fundamental principles of Biblical interpretation which apply throughout the Bible, and are especially important when considering the teachings of Jesus.
1) Every Biblical text has an original audience and a secondary audience. The original audience was the one to whom the teaching was originally directed. The secondary audience is everyone else. This includes us and all that came before us (with the exception of the original audience) and all that will come after us.
2) In order to determine the application of a text for the secondary audience (us), we must first determine, as much as possible, the identity of the original audience and the meaning of the text to the original audience. Historical context is also important.
All Bible teaching had some application to the original audience. If we ignore or contradict this original application when applying the teaching to ourselves, we have made a big mistake. A good example of the consequences of ignoring this basic principle of Bible study is seen in the application of the book of Revelation to modern day headlines and predictions of the end of the world. Such interpretations leave the letter devoid of any practical application to the churches of Asia in the first century to whom the letter was originally written.
Who was Jesus’ Original Audience?
- Matthew 15:24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
According to Matthew 15:24, who would Jesus’ “original audience”, have been? Jesus’ primary audience in virtually all of his public teaching was “the lost sheep of Israel”. They and Jesus were all under the Law of Moses at the time of the teaching. Jesus taught Israelites under the law about their sin under the law. Would his own people have killed him if his teaching focused primarily on a future standard of righteousness?
Jesus most definitely did some teaching that applied exclusively to the future (Mathew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21), but he always pointed this out explicitly. For example, in the Olivet discourse as recorded in Mark 13 Jesus used phrases like “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars”Mark 13:7;“When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation” Mark 13:14; “At that time” Mark 7:21; and “in those days” Mark 7:24.
For the most part, Jesus left this type of teaching (things that applied only to the future) up to his apostles after the Holy Spirit began to guide them (John16:13). The main message during Jesus’ ministry was “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near” Matthew 4:17.
Despite these facts many today would have Jesus doing much of his teaching concerning the future standard of righteousness that would not come into effect until after his death. They would have Jesus saying, “you are not sinning now, but you will shortly if you do not change.” Is this the message of Matthew 5? We will look at Matthew 5:17-48 as an example of how Jesus’ teaching interacts with the Law of Moses. Was Jesus challenging his primary audience to repent or simply teaching future legislation that would apply only after Pentecost?
To begin with, let us look at two important facts from Matthew 5:17-20:
Matthew 5:17-18“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. In verses 17-18, Jesus tells his audience that his teaching was in absolute harmony with the law and the prophets (discuss). Matthew 5:19-20 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. In verses 19-20, Jesus says that his teaching was not in harmony with the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees.
Unless we understand these two points we will never fully understand the Sermon on the Mount or the nature of the righteousness of the kingdom. Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Why was it so important for Jesus to make this statement?
The scribes and Pharisees were looked upon as the most dedicated defenders of the Mosaic Law. Matthew 23:2 says: ““The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.” The apostle Paul said in Acts 26:5 that the Pharisees were the strictest sect of the Hebrew religion. How was it possible for the Pharisees to be the strictest sect of Judaism and yet be in constant conflict with Jesus? Because, Jesus’ teaching was so radically different from the scribes and Pharisees that the people were inclined to imagine his intention was to subvert the authority of Moses and the Old Testament.
Fence Building: These scribes and Pharisees protected the law by studying not only the law, but the interpretations of the law that had been handed down for centuries. These interpretations or sayings became the “traditions of the elders” (Mark 7:5). It was a common saying among the rabbis that their job was to “deliberate in judgment, train up many disciples, and “make a fence” around the law” (New Testament Backgrounds, Wilbur Fields, College Press, 228).
The purpose of this “fence” (the oral or traditional law) was to prevent the Hebrews from actually breaking the Law of Moses. The prohibitions of the oral law (Mishnah) were therefore more restrictive (Matt. 23:4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders) and more numerous (Mark 7:4 they observe many other traditions) than the laws that actually came from Moses.
In the mind of many in the Hebrew community these interpretations and traditions were as binding as the Mosaic Law itself. Since Jesus came into continual conflict with the scribes and Pharisees, his audience would have reason for anxiety about this question; was Jesus in conflict with the teaching of Moses?
Proper Interpretation of Matthew 5
In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus is definitely contrasting his teaching with someone. Six times in the chapter, Jesus says something like this: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago…But I tell you…” (5:21-22; 27-28; 31-32; 33-34; 38-39; 43-44). On the surface, it seems that Jesus is quoting Moses and therefore contrasting his teaching to that of Moses. But there are several solid reasons for believing Jesus is attacking the doctrine of the scribes and Pharisees, not God’s Law.
One, in Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus maintains his complete allegiance to the law. To now pit himself against Moses would be a contradiction that would prove the charges of his enemies to be true. Two, in 5:19, he called those who kept the law at that time as fit to be great in his kingdom. Three, in 5:20 he set the stage for contrasting the righteousness of his kingdom with that of the Pharisees, not with Moses. Fourth, he not only began this section of the sermon by upholding the law, but ended it that way as well. Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Fifth, Jesus did not introduce these quotes like he did scripture quotes. When Jesus quoted scripture he always introduced the quote in one of the following ways:
- “It is written” Matthew 4:4
- “In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah” Matthew 13:14
- “For God said” Matthew 15:4
- “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you” Matthew 15:7
- “Haven’t you read,” Matthew 19:4
- “Have you never read in the Scriptures” Matthew 21:42
However, in Matthew 5 the quotes are introduced with: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago” Matthew 5:21; “You have heard that it was said” Matthew 5:27; “It has been said” Matthew 5:31; “…you have heard that it was said to the people long ago” Matthew 5:33; “You have heard that it was said” Matthew 5:38; “You have heard that it was said” Matthew 5:43.
In these examples from Matthew 5 Jesus is referring to traditions and oral interpretations passed down from the fathers and incorporated into the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees.
A perfect example of this is found in Matthew 5:43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ Love your neighbor is found in Leviticus 19:18 (love your neighbor as yourself), but hate your enemyis not found anywhere in the Old Testament. In at least these two places Jesus does not quote from Moses, and is therefore not placing his teaching in contrast with Moses. The Pharisees interpretation of Mosaic Law built a fence around the law. That is, they made more restrictions than the law itself.
Jesus Against the Pharisees: Jesus often attacked the Pharisees because of these added requirements to God’s Law. There “traditions”, which were considered burdens that the law did not require, made their worship in vain. Matthew 15:8-9 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. Jesus, quoting from Isaiah 29:13 applied Isaiah’s words to the scribes and the Pharisees. The same is true for us today, when we claim to honor God while our hearts are far from Him, our worship means nothing. It is not enough to act religious. Our actions and our attitudes must be sincere. If they are not, then Isaiah’s and Jesus’ words describe us.
The Pharisees knew a lot about God, but they didn’t know God, even though He was right in front of them. It isn’t enough to study about religion or even to have deep knowledge of the Bible if we aren’t responsive to God’s Word.
In Matthew 5 Jesus was not condemning their fence building around the law but their scripture interpretation that failed to see that God’s laws are aimed at the heart. The Pharisees were those who justified themselves in their own eyes. Luke 16:15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
The Pharisees acted piously to get praise from others, but God knew what was in their hearts. Considering the moral requirements of the law, the Pharisees interpretation was so narrow that they saw no sin in themselves unless they committed the literal act of murder (Matthew 5:21-22) or actually became sexually unfaithful to their wives (Matthew 5:27:28). What Jesus was telling them was “you have heard the Old Testament quoted and explained in the following way, but let me explain its true and full meaning.” Throughout Matthew 5 you hear this unspoken refrain “you think you are innocent but you are not.”
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees were continually trying to ruin his reputation by saying he did not respect the law (Matthew 12:2, 10; Luke 14:3; John 5:10; 9:16). So Jesus had to take great pains to correct this misconception. Jesus began and ended the body of the Sermon on the Mount by insisting that his teaching was in complete harmony with the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-18; and 7:12). He confirmed his absolute confidence in the integrity of every word (even every curve of a letter) of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:18).
He made it plain that if anyone wanted to be his disciple he would have to have this same high regard for the Old Testament scriptures. Matthew 5:19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Christ was to Fulfill the Law: What did Jesus mean when he spoke of “fulfilling” the Law and the Prophets? Was he trying to bind every statute of the Levitical code upon those in the kingdom? No. Paul, inspired by God, said that Christians are not to be judged by the food requirements, the feasts, or the Sabbaths. Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. These things, as well as animal sacrifices, the tabernacle-temple system, the priesthood, etc, were types, symbols, and shadows of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:1-5; 10:8-10).
Christ Gave Substance to the Shadow: John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Jesus was the body or reality which all the shadows pointed to. It is in this way that Jesus fulfilled this part of the law. The law required a perfect lamb. Jesus became that perfect lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, thus fulfilling the law. 1 Peter 1:18-20 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. All the shadows and all the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Luke 24:25-27 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Christ is the Goal of the Law: Romans 10:4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. The goal, the meaning, the substance of the law is found in Jesus Christ. The purpose of the law (defining holiness, righteousness, and love), he fulfilled by obeying every command. His life showed a love for God and love for his fellow man that fulfilled the law.
Christ Satisfied the Curse of The Law: Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole” (Deuteronomy 21:23). Jesus fulfilled the curse or penalty of the law by dying on the cross. The cross isn’t meant to arouse our pity nor is it merely to display the love of God; the cross is only fully understood in terms of what the law and justice demands. The innocent Christ fulfilled the penalty of the law by dying as our substitute. Since we are sinners, we can’t fulfill this penalty. Romans 8:4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 13:8-10 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Galatians 5:14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Because Jesus paid the price for our sins, when we love God and our neighbor today (love is an action not a feeling), we fulfill the goal of the law, even though we do not keep it perfectly.
The word “fulfill” is used in opposition to “destroy” or ‘abolish” in Matthew 5:17-18. Jesus did not come to destroy the law of Moses as he was being charged, but he came to obey and uphold every precept, pay “in full” its penalty, bring to reality its shadows and types, and submit his life to its predictions in prophecy.
Did Jesus Impose the Law of Moses on His Listeners? Hebrews 9:16-17 In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. While the Old Covenant was taken out of the way at the death of Christ, we must not forget that Jesus’ earthly ministry was lived under that covenant. Galatians 4:4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law
While preaching to people under the Mosaic Law, he also delivered the message that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Matthew 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Many of his parables talked about what the Kingdom of God would be like. However, when Jesus ran into controversy over his doctrine with the Pharisees, he always went to the Law and the Prophets for his authority. When Jesus had conflict with these religious leaders he always sided with Moses. He did not try to usurp Moses while teaching about the coming kingdom. The righteousness of the law did not contradict the righteousness of the kingdom.
This point is illustrated by a careful reading of the following confrontations: Associating with sinners – Matthew 9:10-13; The Sabbath – Matthew 12:1-14; Ceremonial Washing – Matthew 15:1-20; Divorce – Matthew 19:1-9; The Resurrection – Matthew 22:24-33; Nature of the Messiah – Matthew 22:41-46.
The Righteousness of the Kingdom and the Law of Moses: In the Sermon on the Mount, a sermon on the gospel of the kingdom, Jesus imposed the least commands of the Law of Moses upon his listeners. Why? His audience was Hebrew and even as Jesus spoke they were under that covenant. Jesus lived and died while the Old Testament was still God’s covenant with Israel. Even though the Sermon on the Mount has to do with the principles of righteousness in the kingdom, it was spoken to individuals under the Law of Moses. Anyone who would dishonor Moses would not be fit for the future kingdom. All teachings in the Sermon on the Mount were in harmony with the Law of Moses and with the righteousness of the kingdom. Jesus did not contradict Moses in Matthew 5.
It is clear when we closely read Matthew 5:17-20, that Jesus’ demand for righteousness in his kingdom was closely tied to a respect for the Law of Moses. When we go back and study the Old Testament laws, and specifically the Ten Commandments, we rediscover the true standard of righteousness that God wants throughout time – a standard which the Pharisees had corrupted. Jesus was not teaching newer or higher morals in the Sermon on the Mount, but was giving the true interpretation of the law that contradicted the teachings of the scribes and the Pharisees.
Why would Jesus spend so much time discussing a covenant that was about to pass away? God’s universal “ways that work” are eternal. The Law of Moses, the Old Covenant, the Ten Commandments, had their foundation built on God’s eternal principles of righteousness.